Life As It Happens
by LilahKat
Summary: Time flys when you're having fun. Or so the saying goes. Life on Bannerman Road has changed again for Sarah Jane Smith, in the form of a significant other who happens to be a clone of the Doctor. Of course, the course of true love ne'er did run smooth.
1. Meet the Smiths

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Beeb.

I don't know how many of you were waiting for it, but here we go again. The return of Sarah Jane and Handy... Oliver he's reminding me. Carrying on with their life and how they manage it with everything that happens on Bannerman Road.

I'm posting this as a teaser at the end of Taking in Strays as well as the first chapter of Life As It Happens so that those of you who were following Taking in Strays have an easier time finding it. :)

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><p>"Oh, that smells good," Sarah grinned as she pulled the roaster out of the oven with her mitt covered hands and set it on the stove top, "If I do say so myself." For someone who'd set the kitchen on fire when she attempted something more complicated than tea and toast or sandwiches she felt very proud of herself.<p>

As she turned, feeling the skirt swish around her legs, Sarah caught a glimpse of her reflection in the oven door. "Your younger self would be so ashamed of you. Some feminist you turned out to be." In truth, after spending so long alone, without a family, Sarah Jane Smith revelled in having a family now. "Not too shabby though, Sarah Jane, as long as you don't go trying to outrun Krynoids in it. Those days are long over." She smiled and smoothed her skirt, "Sometimes I can almost see what Oliver sees in you. I wonder what Jo will think when she meets my fellow. Probably think I'm robbing the cradle and she couldn't be more right."

As she finished bringing out the food, she pulled off her mitts. "Alright boys, there's still a division of labour. I'm not about to play June Cleaver." She murmured to herself then set out to find where Luke and Oliver had gotten off to. As they weren't trying to hide, it didn't take long to find them. The scene brought a smile to her face. "Junior indeed," She said softly, not letting them hear her.

Tools were spread out on the floor between Oliver and Luke, while her son activated his sonic and made adjustments. "I do like your focusing mechanism, Junior. Very clever."

"I was going to try to make it blend in, but I think it might be able to," Luke grinned as he flipped the mini lightsaber end over end in his hand and pressed a button which extended a small green glowing rod, "Hide in plain sight. No one is going to think it's weird if I have this 'toy' around with me. I'll just blame it on Clyde."

Oliver shook his head. "Well so long as you don't let Obi Wan Clyde con you into making him one." He finished making adjustments on a very familiar tool. "Pink is more your mum's shade but somehow it just lacks something in a sonic."

"Is the distress signal working?" Luke reached out for the new lipstick.

"Pretty keen on that function, eh?" Oliver grinned and nodded as he let the boy take it. "Ours, they're special because no one is the same as the last. Your mum's is a work of art in miniaturization. Full range of features plus a distress signal that activates ours." He watched as Luke triggered the signal with a tap and turn. Instantly both Luke's mini-lightsaber and Oliver's more traditional screwdriver, yet still unique with its rotating focus loops at the front, activated and gave off a low but very noticeable hum.

"I'm not incapable of taking care of myself," Sarah had been enchanted by their seeming father-son moment, but when they started veering too close to cosseting her it raised her ire.

"I'll go get her old one so you can retrofit it." Luke commented as he got to his feet, passing Sarah Jane but brushing a kiss to her cheek as he did.

"Oy, sucking up and leaving me to the executioners axe. Not cool, Lukey boy. Not cool at all." Oliver called after him. "We just worry. You know that, love." He got to his feet. "And it's a very pretty lipstick."

Sarah's heart melted as he called her love, but she fought hard to hang onto her anger. "And I don't worry? Oh, sometimes." She let out a noise of exasperation.

"No, I know you do." He held out her new lipstick, deactivating the signal and waiting for her to take it. When she gave in and did, he twisted his own sonic in a new way. Suddenly the new lipstick activated and hummed just as his had. "See. And Luke's does the same if he activates the distress signal. And K-9 can focus in on it like a homing beacon."

Sarah suddenly felt very silly. "Well, you might have told me," she smiled slightly then punched him lightly in the arm. "So he can call us if he needs us."

"Yep, two parents to the rescue, no waiting." Oliver grinned and moved closer winding one arm around her waist. "So, do you like it?"

"I do," she leaned up and claimed his lips, their kisses had become more passionate in the weeks following their adventure with the alien book and Oliver's choice. They still had their own rooms, having yet to spend the night together.

Luke cleared his throat loudly, causing his mum and Oliver to split apart blushing. "Got it." He came down the rest of the stairs and handed the retrieved tool to Oliver.

"Thank you, Junior." Oliver grinned as Sarah rolled her eyes. "You know you could stop protesting. We both know you like it when I call him that."

"Put away your toys, boys. Tea is ready and you need to set the table." Sarah glanced back at Oliver with a flirting look then disappeared back through to the kitchen.

"Right then," Oliver nodded at the boy he'd come to think of as his son. The pair of them scooped up the various bits and pieces they'd left in the middle of the floor and found a space for it on an end table, before following Sarah into the kitchen and looking to the task that she'd set out for them.

To anyone looking in they would have appeared to be an average, normal, if somewhat eccentric family on Bannerman Road. That thought had Sarah smiling to herself as she watched the boys tuck into their food then start discussing the latest science show they'd watched on the telly. Her boys. Her men. The thought never ceased to bring a smile to her face.

After gorging themselves on the meal that Sarah had cooked, Oliver stood "That was brilliant." Oliver claimed Sarah's lips as he passed her on the way to the sink with the dishes. "Wasn't that brilliant, Junior?"

"You're laying it on rather thick." Sarah pointed out. "You're doing the dishes, Oliver dear."

"Wouldn't think of getting out of it." Oliver shook his head.

"It really was brilliant, mum." Luke said as he stood and followed Oliver to the other room. "Dad's right." He disappeared wondering how long it would take to register with his mum.

For a few moments, Sarah Jane fixated on the puzzle of what the pair of them could be trying to get away with and missed what Luke had called Oliver. When it did register, she followed the pair of them into the kitchen. "First Junior and now Dad is it? Is this some sort of hint? You know traditionally the man asks." She certainly hoped it wasn't because they weren't sharing more than a few very passionate kisses yet and she wasn't ready for another rushed marriage, even if this one wasn't being prompted by the Pantheon of Discord.

"Didn't think you were much into tradition, Sarah Jane." Oliver said with his back to her. He could hear the trepidation in her voice. "When I decide it's time to ask you, you'll know." He turned after drying his hands and leaned against the counter, crossing his ankles.

"Good to know." Sarah's eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out what they were up to.

"Mum," Luke met her gaze. "I guess… I was sort of worried that you wouldn't be happy that I wanted to call Oliver Dad." He shrugged slightly, while Oliver looked at her son with open affection.

"And this was your way of asking me?" Sarah Jane couldn't keep the amusement off of her face. "For a pair of clever men, you are still men aren't you?" She walked to Luke and took his shoulders. "I'm very happy you care as much for Oliver as I do, Luke. You feel strongly for him, just like I do." She ducked her head, a bit embarrassed by her admission, "So then why would I be unhappy that you want to call him dad?"

Oliver sniffed and grinned at Luke, "See I told you. She's completely dotty for me."

"And that's all there's to it?" Sarah looked at Oliver seriously. "No plots to determine if he's genetically yours, or…"

"That stuff doesn't matter." Oliver said, drawing himself up then turning back to the dishes. "Junior and I need to load his car for the return trip to Oxford tomorrow."

For a moment she considered volunteering to help, but then realized that Oliver and Luke needed to continue to forge that father-son bond that she had found so enchanting. "Alright then, I'll leave the pair of you to it. I can see where I'm not wanted." She grinned then turned on her heel, "For the record, I am not dotty about you, Oliver."

Everyone in the room knew she was lying through her teeth.

It was sometime later when Sarah woke after falling asleep reading on her couch in the attic, her senses full of the scent of Oliver and the feel of him cradling her to his chest. "Could have waked me," she yawned, then in complete opposition to what she'd said she snuggled further into his chest.

"I know," Oliver said looking down at her with affection. "You're just too adorable when you're sleeping."

"Mmmm," she sighed contentedly then murmured. "Love you, Oliver."

Oliver's heart raced, even though she was still mostly asleep and probably not aware of what she'd said. Knowing she wouldn't hear, he murmured in answer. "I love you too, m…" he stopped midway through the word he so wanted to put there then continued, "… Sarah Jane."


	2. A Trial of Memory in Fire

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Beeb.

I don't know how many of you were waiting for it, but here we go again. The return of Sarah Jane and Handy... Oliver he's reminding me. Carrying on with their life and how they manage it with everything that happens on Bannerman Road.

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><p>A sharp cry that echoed through the house had Sarah bolting from her bed, pulling her dressing gown around her, only to run into Luke in the hallway. "Mum, something's the matter with Dad!"<p>

Luke calling Oliver 'dad' gave her pause as she was unused to it, but she laid her hands on his shoulders to stop him from rushing in. "It's alright, Luke. Well not alright but," she sighed wearily, "Since we had that run in with the alien book he's been reacting this way."

"Why?" Luke looked at the door that stood between him and the man he considered his father.

"I'm not sure," Sarah admitted softly, "but I have my suspicions." She squeezed his shoulders then pulled him to her. "You need to leave early in the morning." She kissed his forehead. "Back to bed, Luke. I'll talk to," there was a pause as she decided what to say, "your dad. We'll get this sorted."

In the privacy of their home, Luke still enjoyed a hug from his mum and leaned into her for a moment, before disappearing behind his door once more with only a look back at Oliver's door to show his reluctance. Taking a deep breath, Sarah Jane moved to Oliver's door and pushed it open. The covers wound around Oliver like a great serpent he wrestled with as he tossed and turned restlessly.

Moving to the side of his bed, she settled on the edge then laid her hand on his back. "Oliver?"

"No! You can't! Don't hurt her!" Oliver cried out. "Don't tell," he whimpered.

"Oliver," Sarah rubbed between his shoulders comfortingly. "It's me. It's Sarah Jane. You need to wake up."

"Wha?" His eyes opened and he looked up at her blearily. "What?"

"You were calling out again," she understated the case, "You woke me."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sarah." Oliver struggled up to his elbows so he could look at her.

"Not just me, Luke too." She added, hoping that this last bit of information would be the leverage she needed to convince him to talk.

"Damn," he slammed his fist into the bed. "Damn it."

"I think it's time we talk." Sarah reached up and cupped his cheek. "Or rather, you talk."

Silence reigned for several minutes before Oliver's head dropped. "You're going to hate me."

"Do you think that little of me? Of us? Of what's developed between us?" Sarah asked bluntly, trying to shock him out of his funk.

"NO! No, of course not." Oliver looked up at her with a scowl. "I just," his words trailed off. "You don't know what I did."

"You. The Doctor. You did what was necessary. You were fighting the Daleks. I can only imagine what the Time Lords had to do," she paused. "The worst you will hear from me, I'm fairly certain, is I told you so."

Oliver let a little laugh escape him at that. "Yeah, if that's the worst of it I'll be doing well." He looked at her, pain reflected in his eyes. "If you're so sure that you're not going to hate me, why do you want to hear it?"

"Because you need me to hear it or you won't believe that I don't hate you. That I couldn't hate you." Sarah took his hands in her own and looked down at the bed. "Please Oliver; I can't bear seeing you like this any longer." A tear streaked her face. "Can't you please trust me and talk to me?"

There was silence for another long moment, time stretching out like an eternity. "I was in my eighth regeneration when I was recalled to Gallifrey. It shouldn't have been that bad. I mean they're Daleks. Basically big metal cockroaches. Not easy to get rid of permanently, but I'd beaten them back before," he shook his head. "They kept changing things. Always were one step ahead of us. Any race that could be an ally to us they burned. Any race we thought might side with them even out of fear or if they'd be forced – well we'd change things wouldn't we. Made certain that they'd never be in the position to help," he breathed out slowly. "We insured that some races never even evolved, just because they might have given a strategic advantage to the Daleks."

He looked up at Sarah Jane, his eyes haunted. "I did that, Sarah. I made certain that entire races fell. There were so many. So many that we stood aside and watched fall because they weren't important enough to save. Earth. Trion. Some planets, planets where my past rested on their shoulders – they had to survive," his eyes closed.

"Yes, I…" Sarah paused. "I think we ran into a survivor of one of those races last year. Eve. Her race could see the time lines. How they shifted."

Oliver nodded. "Could have been us or the Daleks that razed their planet, Sarah," he held her gaze. "I don't even know which. Couldn't tell you, which is ironic really since I did most of the razing. I was their greatest warrior wasn't I? The oncoming storm. When I arrived people feared for their lives as much as they were relieved." He curled himself around his knees and started a bit when Sarah's hand came to rest between his shoulders, "I used to have so much mercy – but all that was gone. Gone in the face of a war I caused."

"You caused?" Sarah stopped but didn't look away from him. "What do you mean you caused?"

"Well it was wasn't it?" Oliver scowled certain that everything he had built here was torn to shreds. "I'm the one who never listened to you. You told me to destroy the Daleks. If I had, if I had stopped it when they started then the Time War would never have happened. I didn't think I had the right."

Sarah's eyes widened. "That's why you did what you did on the Crucible. You killed them. All of them."

"To stop it happening again." Oliver nodded.

"Why didn't the Doctor?" Sarah frowned, trying to work it out in her head.

"He said Rose had fixed him." Oliver shrugged and breathed out, his gaze falling to the bed once more, one hand pulling from Sarah's and twisting the spread between his fingers nervously. "All high minded and beyond all that again. He couldn't see the mistake he made. Some races. Some people just aren't redeemable." He didn't move as he continued to speak, "Left to survive, the Daleks would have continued trying to do what they'd done. The universe at risk. It wasn't worth all those high minded ideals."

He knew Sarah was more like the Doctor now than she had been before. So he was certain that this was it. The point at which everything would collapse under its own weight, where he'd be asked pointedly to leave. So he'd never expected the next words that Sarah Jane spoke.

"You're right," she said softly. "There was nothing to redeem in the Daleks. Certainly nothing when they were created or at the end on the Crucible." She saw his gaze come up slowly to meet hers. "Their only purpose was to destroy and time and again that is what they did. Whether they came from our universe or another," she licked her lips and reclaimed the hand that pulled at the spread. "What happened in the Time War, what the Time Lords made you do - doing their dirty work. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. No one individual should have been made to feel that they were responsible for all of that."

"I killed them." The statement was simple. Matter of fact even. It drew Sarah Jane up short.

"You killed who?" Sarah asked

"Remember when I told you they died. That all the Time Lords had died." Oliver's voice was nearly a monotone.

"Yes," Sarah's heart sped up, not knowing if she wanted to hear this.

"I killed them. It was me." Oliver pronounced like a judge announcing a death sentence.

For the first time in hearing this, Sarah's faith was shaken. Still she wasn't about to give up. Giving up on Oliver or, for that matter, the Doctor since this confession belonged to him as much as to his clone. "Surely not."

"Oh it was." Oliver didn't see where there was any redemption for him. "It was the final paradigm. As evil as Davros' Crucible." Silence echoed through the room for a moment. "Rassilon wanted to use his 'Ultimate Sanction'. It would have destroyed all life and time. Everything. Instead I locked Gallifrey, Skaro, the Time Lords and the Daleks in a moment. The moment. Forever burning. Leela. Romana. My granddaughter, Susan. Even my mother." His eyes closed again. "Burning."

The horror of the choice he'd been left to make weighed on her. To save the universe but to condemn his people. Friends. Family. She couldn't imagine making that choice. Tears streamed down her face as she cried for him. Nothing ever seemed to be fair for the Doctor. He never seemed to catch a break. She couldn't help her oldest, dearest friend.

Oliver. Oliver she could help. Moving closer to him, she settled her hands on his shoulders. "I understand," the tears didn't stop running down her face and as his gaze met hers, the gates opened up for his own flood of tears. "It wasn't your fault. You made the only choice left to you." She said in a shaky voice.

Sarah pulled him close to her, both their bodies shaking as they grieved for everyone and everything that had been lost. They stayed there, wrapped around one another, clinging to one another in desperation. Slowly Oliver pulled away. "I think," he took a deep breath and gathered himself, "I think I'll be okay."

"I know you will be," Sarah smiled at him softly. "Not right away, but you will be alright." She stood slowly and looked towards the door, then held her hand out to him. "I think though, I would much rather not sleep alone."

Oliver's gaze came up, expecting to see pity in her eyes and cursing himself for looking. Instead, all that he saw was Sarah's smile and her eyes full of love. Love for him. "Please, Oliver." She stretched out her fingers, "I've been alone in that bed far long enough, don't you think?"

Oliver couldn't find any words that would do what he felt justice, so he simply stood, let her wrap her small hand around his and draw him out the door towards her room.


	3. Taking Refuge

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Beeb.

I don't know how many of you were waiting for it, but here we go again. The return of Sarah Jane and Handy... Oliver he's reminding me. Carrying on with their life and how they manage it with everything that happens on Bannerman Road.

Thank you to Sue for the beta read and for the idea of using Moreton Harwood for a refugee camp.

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><p>"I should have insisted that Luke go back on to Oxford," Sarah muttered to her young friend as they stood like sentries watching the aliens being assisted by the men as they carried the young to the two moving vans that she'd organized for transport.<p>

Rani chuckled, "Like you could have kept him away when Mr. Smith detected that distress signal during breakfast. Alien refugees being hunted by bad guys, and his mum and dad going to help out – face it, Sarah Jane, he couldn't be your son and stay out of that."

For a moment, Sarah looked at Rani in shock that she knew that Luke called Oliver dad then she shook her head. "You'd known for weeks hadn't you?"

"Days," Rani shrugged. "They're intelligent but…"

"That's exactly what I told Luke." Sarah smiled at the girl, but the sight of Oliver carrying one of the little catlike creatures, it's head mashed under his chin and it's eyes closed with a blissful expression on it's face caught and held her attention.

The soft expression that took up residence on Sarah's face had Rani smiling. "That's sort of different, isn't it?"

"Hmmm?" Sarah looked at Rani then back at the boys. She decided to avoid discussing Oliver's decidedly attractive paternal side and focused on the reality of the aliens. "Oh, yes – apparently the females become pregnant, but they can't be trusted with them afterwards – they're known to kill their own young."

"That's horrible," Rani looked aghast at that revelation.

Sarah nodded. She'd never seen herself as terribly maternal but the idea of that reality made her ill to her stomach. "It is, but that's why they don't trust us. Only the boys."

A laugh escaped her protégé as Clyde appeared with three older cubs clinging to him – one on his back, and one on each of his legs. "Somehow I don't think that was what Clyde expected when you said we'd be hiding refugees."

"Well, given how often Clyde gets his expectations met about our adventures, I'm not seeing that as a negative thing." Sarah Jane chuckled as well as the boy struggled along to the trucks, then she smiled as Luke appeared with a cub in his arms.

Luke looked up, as though he sensed he was being watched, and waved with his free hand at his mum and Rani only to have the cub jam its head beneath his chin. Rani couldn't help the smile that escaped her as Oliver passed Luke on his way back and clapped him on the shoulder before tickling the cub playfully and moving on back to the downed ship to bring more of the refugees off. Rani smiled at Sarah Jane, "Two peas in a pod."

"It's almost frightening how alike they are," Sarah agreed, but shifted her weight on her feet, obviously uncomfortable with the fact that she wasn't able to help with the moving of the refugees to the vehicles.

Rani ducked her head to hide her grin. It wasn't just Oliver and Luke that were alike as far as she was concerned.

As much as he'd been observed, Oliver had been observing as well. "Ts'mert?" He approached one of the males with a tiny cub clinging to him.

"Yes, Oliver." The alien's accent drew out the first, fourth and last letter of the man's name.

"I know your females are violent, but ours are not." Oliver started his negotiation. "My mate is normally in the thick of things." He paused. "And even though she doesn't like to admit it, she's very maternal."

The alien cocked his head, something lost in the translation. "Maternal?"

"She likes little ones," He gestured at the tiny cub. "I couldn't convince you to let her hold him could I?"

The alien male was obviously conflicted. They were grateful for the help, but instinct said not to trust a female with a cub. "Sarah Jane Smith is your mate."

Oliver puffed up at that. "She is."

"She is a great warrior." While it was a compliment, it obviously made Ts'mert nervous.

Oliver recognized that while the aliens were grateful their females were great warriors as well, that they feared them as much as they valued them. "She's so much more than that." He said. "She protects this entire world. She guides and teaches children – children that are not her own. She values all life. She is one of the Doctor's chosen heirs on Earth."

It had quickly become obvious at their reaction to him, that the aliens were well aware of the Doctor, though mostly as a legend. It was also strange for him in that they didn't seem to associate him with the Doctor at all. The alien seemed to be thinking about it then it nodded slowly, "I will allow it."

A beaming smile crossed Oliver's face, "Brilliant." He set his hand on his new friend's shoulder. "Thank you so much."

"It is my people that owe you," Ts'mert said softly, he was small – even shorter than Sarah Jane so he had to look up to meet Oliver's gaze.

"No," Oliver shook his head. "You're our friend. I appreciate you doing this for me."

The alien inclined his head, acknowledging Oliver's words then passed the human man the tiny cub. Settling the tiny baby in the crook of his arm, he made his way towards Sarah with the nervous father following behind him.

"Oooh," Rani grinned as she saw Oliver moving towards them with a cub in his arms. "Looks like you're special." She stepped back, not wanting Oliver to have to push his luck with the alien.

"Thought you might like to meet Ts'mert and his son Is'mal, Sarah." Oliver said as he moved to her with the cub.

"It's very nice to meet you, Ts'mert." Sarah said with a broad smile. "Oh, he's lovely." She kept her hands folded in front of her, not wanting to upset the alien father but leaned in admire the baby.

Oliver grinned, "Go on if you like, Ts'mert said it was okay if you wanted."

Normally, Sarah Jane wasn't that fond of babies. She loved her children, but babies made her doubt her ability to care for them. She had a tendency to become too focused on the task at hand and sometimes didn't remember to feed even herself. Thankfully Luke and Oliver (and Rani and Clyde) could feed themselves (and her as well if it came to it).

The little green eyes peering up at her from a mask of black fur however, quickly had her scooping the alien child up from Oliver's arm. "Hello Is'mal," Sarah said with a bright smile as she stroked him gently with one hand while cradling him in the opposite arm. "Aren't you beautiful?"

"Boys prefer handsome," Oliver corrected and winked at Ts'mert, who stood in shocked silence at the obvious gentleness of the female that was considered one of Earth's greatest protectors.

"Don't be pedantic, Oliver." Sarah chided, then leaned down to nuzzle the little one. "He's a silly man. Isn't he Is'mal?" Her open affection was met with contented chirps from the cub.

"Oy!" Oliver scowled, and tried to scoop the baby away. "Just for that…"

"Oh no," Sarah sent a playful glance back over her shoulder as she turned her back to keep Oliver away from the cub. "I haven't had enough time with him yet."

Ts'mert shook his head in wonder. "Oliver is very lucky to have a mate like you. My own went with the other warriors to try to hold back the ths'Tain. Your cubs?" He nodded to Rani then looked out to where Clyde and Luke led a group of older cubs chasing across to the transport. "Their coat colours are very pretty."

Sarah smiled slightly, realising that in a race of cat-like creatures they probably wouldn't see that Rani and Clyde were not likely to be hers. "They're my cub, Luke's friends. Though, they're like mine sometimes." She smiled at Rani, who smiled back.

Again Ts'mert shook his head, awed at the fact that a female would care not only for her own cub, but other's cubs as well. "We have legends of females like you." He bowed slightly. "Blessings, Sarah Jane Smith."

"Thank you," Sarah smiled slightly then carefully settled the cub back into Ts'mert's arms. "Blessings for you and your cub," she added hoping that it would be well received. The alien once again bowed and made his way towards the transport as Clyde jogged up.

"Well, while you lot were resting on your laurels, me and Lukey boy got the rest of them loaded up." Clyde said to Sarah. "I call shot gun with you, Sarah Jane. I've ridden with Lukey boy before."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or be worried about what fines I'm going to have to pay." She winced at the thought.

"Rani and I will go and rein Junior in, love." Oliver said catching Sarah's eyes in a gaze that said everything.

"Thank you," Sarah held his gaze just as intently.

Clyde cleared his throat. "You know it's cute and thank you for not kissing in front of me, but aliens waiting to be taken to sanctuary and all."

"Right then," Sarah rolled her eyes. "Let's move out as they say in the movies." She nodded to Clyde and they headed to the truck that was currently driverless.

Rani shook her head. "Luke isn't that bad. Clyde just likes to give him a hard time."

Oliver nodded as they jogged to the truck. He had his own suspicions as to why the other boy gave Luke a hard time about driving and resolved to see to it himself.

As they set out, it didn't take long for it to become apparent that they weren't staying local. "So, Sarah Jane," Clyde peered out the passenger side window as they headed further and further out of London, "I know they look like cats, but I don't think we need a barn to hide them in."

Rolling her eyes, Sarah Jane snorted. "As small as they are, hiding better than seventy alien bipedal felines in the city seemed like asking for trouble, Clyde, so I got in touch with an old friend."

"Moreton Harwood?" Clyde looked at Sarah as she made the turn onto a smaller road and he read the sign before Sarah made another turn and continued to travel away from the village.

"When I asked my aunt's friend Juno Baker to help me sell the house here, I had no idea that she decided to buy it." Sarah smiled fondly. "I suppose she knew I was in trouble and needed the funds."

"Huh, but if this is an old friend," Clyde looked at his friend doubtfully.

"Well, I happen to know Juno and her husband are out of the country and far enough away that she isn't likely to make a special trip back." Sarah Jane grinned as they pulled up in front of the old house. "Our new friends will only be here long enough for me and Mr. Smith to use our contacts to find them a safe way off the planet." She came to a stop and set the brake, "I'll make it up to her by coming to visit when she's back."

"Why is it when we make something sound that easy, you say easier said than done, but when you say it," Clyde trailed off, grinning as he slid out of the truck heading to help the aliens get settled in the manor house.

"Oh, the cheek," Sarah called after him as she climbed out the driver's side chuckling to herself and moved to open up her Aunt Lavinia's old home. "Not sure you would approve of this, Livvy," she said softly then pushed open the door, "but they need somewhere to be until I can find them a safe way to get away from here. I know you'd understand at least."

Oliver slipped up behind her and leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Your Aunt Lavinia would be proud of you, Sarah." He grinned then started waving his new friends in. "In you come, good thing we're so far out, not many people are going to see us to be curious."

The logistics of setting up a refugee camp even in an otherwise empty house; even one as large as the manor house at Moreton Harwood; were by no means simple. Children, then supplies and educating the adults on where everything was and how to use it, as well as providing them with a disposable cell phone to keep in contact with, it wasn't a simple task after a long drive. It was well after dark when they drove back to the rental lot to leave the moving vans, picking up the Figaro and then driving back to Ealing.

"Now Clyde," Sarah called out after the boys as they went inside. "I promised your mum that I'd make certain you'd get to school tomorrow, so this isn't time for video games on Mr. Smith. Once you've eaten, both you and Luke are going to bed, because you're both going to school."

"Mum," Luke protested, but could see from the look on his mum's face that he'd be heading back to Oxford in the morning, "Fine."

"Okay mum," Clyde said teasingly towards Sarah Jane. "Food, then we'll go to bed." He nudged Luke. "Can't keep the old folks up, they didn't get their nap this afternoon."

"Keep it up, Clyde and there will be no afters." Sarah warned.

Oliver walked in only to catch the last of her statement. "No afters?" His expression was one of panic.

"I meant for Clyde," Sarah rolled her eyes at him. "Though you know one of these days your body is going to realise its human and that hummingbird metabolism of yours will go away. Then what will we do about your sweet tooth?"

"No idea," Oliver followed her into the kitchen, "but you'll love me anyways."

Sarah sighed and shook her head, not wanting to acknowledge that he was right. "I think I might have a frozen pizza in here somewhere."

As she dug through the freezer, Oliver pulled out a pan and set the temperature on the oven. "So what's for," his words were abruptly cut off by Clyde's yell.

"Sarah Jane! Oliver! Something's wrong with Luke." Clyde's voice echoed through the house as both the adults dropped what they were doing, bolting through the house and up the stairs.


	4. Hide and Seek

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Beeb.

I don't know how many of you were waiting for it, but here we go again. The return of Sarah Jane and Handy... Oliver he's reminding me. Carrying on with their life and how they manage it with everything that happens on Bannerman Road.

Thank you to Sue, Nastasha and Stella for your contributions to this chapter. Without all of you, this wouldn't be half as good as it is.

I apologize in advance to my readers.

* * *

><p>This time the sheer terror a mother feels for her son had Sarah Jane arriving at the top of the stairs before Oliver, though he was close behind her. Clyde was crouched beside Luke's prone body and Sarah dropped down as well. "What happened?"<p>

"We were joking and then it was like he just got dizzy and he fell," Clyde swallowed hard.

Sarah Jane reached out and touched Luke's cheek. "He's burning up," her voice was panicked. "He almost never gets sick. The last time was the rakweed. The Bane gave him perfect health."

"I know, Sarah." Oliver caught and held her gaze. "We're going to figure this out. I may not be the Doctor but I have all his memories up until the time we were split apart," he paused. "I'm not going to let anything happen to Luke." He slid his arms beneath the boy. "I need to get his temperature down. Go on upstairs and get Mr. Smith on the case."

"You don't need to be the Doctor, Oliver." Sarah said gratefully, then ran up the rest of the stairs.

For a moment, Oliver stood still watching after her then he sprang into motion again. "Come on Clyde, I need you to run a cold bath for Luke. I'll get him undressed then you're going to need to keep an eye on him while I go see what Mr. Smith has to say on what's going on."

"Right," Clyde moved into the bathroom ahead of Oliver and turned the tap onto pure cold water after putting in the plug.

"Help me with his clothing." Oliver called Clyde back to him. "Mainly his shirt, socks and shoes."

"Not that I want to," Clyde turned his attention to helping Oliver get Luke mostly undressed, " but wouldn't it be better if we completely undressed him?"

"It doesn't really matter for our purposes, Clyde. We just need his temperature to come down. It's dangerously high." Oliver kept his tone neutral, but that in itself told Clyde how bad things were.

"So why bother undressing him at all?" Clyde asked as he helped the older man lift his friend into the cold bath.

"It let me check for rashes," Oliver smiled at the other boy. "I meant what I told Sarah, Clyde. Nothing is going to happen to Luke."

"I know," Clyde nodded at Oliver, "You didn't let anything happen to Sarah Jane either. You've still got the world saving thing going on – even if it's just their worlds."

"My world actually," Oliver admitted softly. "Keep an eye on him, Clyde. I'm going to go up to see what Sarah and Mr. Smith have found."

Oliver raced up the stairs the rest of the way to the attic, pushing open the door and coming in to find Sarah bracing herself against Mr. Smith's console, the hunch of her shoulders immediately putting him on alert. "They won't let me help Luke."

"Who won't?" Oliver's voice became tense with the immediate flare of anger he felt.

"The aliens… The refugees. They say his initial symptoms – going from well to fainting with an intense fever is a childhood disease amongst their people," her eyes were full of the anguish she felt as she spoke. "Their healers may be able to help him but they won't allow me to go with him to Moreton Harwood."

Oliver shook his head, "Because of their fears of females." He breathed out angrily, but couldn't blame the aliens given their circumstances. "I'll go Sarah. I'll go and take Luke to them in Bessie. I'll take K-9 as well, that way we can work with you and Mr. Smith…"

"Sarah Jane," the alien super computer called out, "the ths'Tain have reached orbit and they are scanning for the refugees."

"No!" Sarah called out. "Whatever you have to do, Mr. Smith, do not allow those aliens to find the refugees. They'll destroy them and aside from everything else, they're Luke's best hope."

"Attempting to block their scans," Mr. Smith confirmed his initial actions.

"It's never simple is it?" Oliver scowled.

"I will not be able to assist with the analysis of the disease that is afflicting Luke and hold back the ths'Tain." Mr. Smith added to the conversation. "As well, I will only be able to continue to block their scans for the next 10.35 minutes."

"Mr. Smith, can you duplicate the life signs of the alien refugees?" Sarah Jane asked suddenly.

The supercomputer was silent for a few moments then finally spoke. "I can."

"Can you transmit them through to our mobiles?" Sarah continued as her plan began to form.

"Yes, though to maintain continuous readings I will not be able to transmit to more than two mobiles at once." Mr. Smith warned of his limitations.

"That's fine, Mr. Smith," Sarah assured the Xyloc then turned her attention to Oliver, "You go to Moreton Harwood with Luke. My aunt's old equipment should still be there either in the study or packed in the attic. It may be antiquated but it will be better than nothing." She picked up a piece of paper and quickly wrote out a number on it. "Sir Alistair gave her my number during the entire Bubbleshock mess. She gave me that as a way to contact her if I needed to."

Oliver took the paper and opened it, then grinned. "Liz Shaw. Oh yes, she should be able to help quite a lot." He cocked his head curiously. "What are you going to do?"

"Clyde, Rani and I are going to be killdeer," Sarah grinned.

"Killdeer?" Oliver's brow furrowed then his eyes widened. "No. No, Sarah Jane, you're going to be drawing those alien's attention right down on you."

"And we have no choice," Sarah took Oliver's hand. "Please, between the two of us, you're the one who is more likely to be help for Liz – never mind that the refugees don't want me there. She's not going to be able to come down from the Moon Base, so she's going to need you to be her hands here. It's going to be hard enough with my aunt's equipment." She paused. "We'll be alright. We're going to stay ahead of them and we're going to lead them a merry chase."

After a moment, Oliver nodded. "Course you will. You'll be brilliant. All of you."

"Thank you," Sarah's words were heartfelt. "Mr. Smith, call Rani and get her here. Then start transmitting through Clyde and my mobiles."

"Calling," the computer intoned.

"I'm going to get Luke and K-9 and get going." Oliver held her gaze. "Be careful."

"I will," Sarah nodded.

The former Timelord came down the stairs, coming into the bathroom to find Clyde holding Luke's hand. "He was muttering to himself. Thought it would be better if he knew he wasn't alone."

Oliver nodded. "Good job, Clyde." He didn't want the boy to feel oddly about offering comfort to his friend and taking comfort in return. "Help me get him out of the bath and then get me a blanket and some warm clothing for him as well."

"Right," Clyde agreed as he moved to reverse what they'd just done. "So what was the point?"

"His temperature is down a bit," Oliver confirmed, "which is what we needed. I'm taking him to Moreton Harwood. He's got some sort of childhood disease these aliens get."

"So an outer space version of the chicken pox then?" Clyde looked alarmed. "Doesn't that mean we've all been exposed?"

Oliver scowled. "Damn, you're right. Look, the other aliens…"

"The bad guys," Clyde looked excited now.

"Yeah," Oliver agreed. "They're in orbit now. You're going to go and help Sarah – but I need you to keep an eye on her and Rani alright?"

"Aren't I more likely to be infected?" Clyde frowned.

"Yeah, but you're going to ask Rani to keep an eye on you and Sarah, alright?" Oliver instructed. "Rani's the only one that has the least possible exposure."

"Right," Clyde nodded, then looked down at Luke. "You're going to be alright, Lukey-Boy." He met Oliver's gaze then jogged out of the bathroom.

Oliver heard footsteps a few moments later but instinctively knew from the sound of them that they weren't Clyde. He looked up to meet the eyes of a concerned mother. "How is he?"

"His temperature is down," Oliver assured her, "We'll get him through this Sarah."

"I know," she nodded then knelt down beside Oliver and Luke, running her hand along her son's cheek.

"Wha…" Luke's eyes opened and he looked up at Sarah Jane blearily.

Sarah forced a smile. "See, you should have listened to me about going back to school."

Luke tried to speak, but could only manage a weak nod and pressed his cheek into his mother's palm before his eyes fluttered shut.

"Luke," the distress in Sarah's voice broke Oliver's heart.

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight for a moment. "He's going to be fine, Sarah. I promise you."

"I know," she murmured as she buried her nose into his neck and felt his strong hands rubbing her back soothingly.

They heard K-9 hovering in ahead of Clyde, who carried the requested clothing and blanket, before they saw him. "What has happened to Master Luke?" K-9 demanded.

"That we're going to find out, K-9." Oliver answered the robot dog as he released Sarah from his embrace, "You and I."

Sarah Jane pulled back and stood up, visibly steeling herself. "Give those to Oliver, Clyde and come with me."

"Right," Clyde turned to follow Sarah Jane as she slipped from the bathroom and headed back up to the attic to finish making preparations.

"Keep her safe, Clyde," he said softly so Sarah wouldn't hear as the boy went to go. Clyde nodded quickly then disappeared out the door. Oliver could hear Clyde's footsteps going up the stairs but focused on getting Luke into dry clothing and wrapped in the blanket.

Luke moaned unintelligibly once again. "It's alright, son." Oliver said reassuringly, wanting the boy to know he was with him. "We're going to get you fixed up." He slid his arms beneath the slight form of the boy then lifted him up and headed down the stairs. "K-9 and I are going to take you to Moreton Harwood."

"Mum?" Luke managed to force out.

"She's going to do what she does best." Oliver assured the boy as he carried him out to Bessie.

Rani crossed the road just in time to see Oliver pulling out and putting Bessie into high gear, regardless of the speed limits. She came to the front door just as it swung open to reveal Sarah Jane and Clyde.

"Everything is shut off in the kitchen, Sarah Jane." Clyde advised.

"Get into the car," Sarah's tone was short. "We need to get moving."

"Why?" Rani looked concerned.

"Moving target," Clyde looked skyward, worried that there would be bolts coming from the sky.

"Moving target?" Rani's eyes now widened.

"Yeah, we're pretending to be the refugees and being really obvious about it." Clyde opened the passenger side door and pulled the seat forward to let Rani in. "Hopefully we'll last long enough to let Oliver come up with a cure for whatever it is Luke's got."

"And what happens after that?" Rani asked as she leaned forward while Clyde slid into the car and pulled the door shut.

"No idea, Rani." Sarah Jane said as she backed the car down the drive and into the street. "We're making this up as we go along."

The teens shared a glance and shook their heads. When weren't they making things up as they went along?

Once Oliver was outside of London, he engaged the alien technology in the car and kicked it into overdrive, cutting down the time to arrive at Moreton Harwood.

"Master Oliver," K-9 spoke up. "Master Luke's life signs are stable but his body temperature is rising again."

"We're here," Oliver tore into the driveway and brought the car to a sudden stop in front of the door. He jumped out and slipped around to the other side – Bessie's door-less sides making it much easier to free Luke from the car and carry him inside, K-9 rolling along behind them.

The healers met them at the door. "Welcome Oliver. Your mate contacted us. We are prepared for your cub." The tiger striped cat creature reached out with a soft paw to touch Luke's cheek. "We have cooling units that we use for our younglings with the disease."

"Our cub," Oliver stressed, annoyed that Sarah Jane couldn't be here even if he understood the why and how of the situation.

"Of course, forgive us." The healer went ahead of Oliver opening the blanket like device so that Luke could be set in it. "Our females do not claim the cubs in our society, except in legends."

"Yes," Oliver sighed, "I'm sorry. It's just, he's our only cub." He reached out and stroked Luke's hair.

"This disease is not often fatal," the healer tried to be reassuring. "We would offer the medicines that we use – but we do not think they would be appropriate for your species."

"And it's not going to be fatal this time," Oliver sprang into action, shedding his jacket. "That is why K-9," he gestured at the robot dog, "is going to analyse your medicines, while I go rooting about to find Lavinia's old virology equipment and then K-9, I'm likely going to need your assistance to set up a link with the Moon Base if I can convince Liz to help out."

"Affirmative, Master," K-9's antennae swivelled as his attention focused on the alien healer. "Please bring me samples of your medicines for chemical analysis. I will continue to monitor Master Luke's life signs."

"Good dog, K-9." Oliver grinned, liking the loyalty that his old friend showed his son.

Leaving Luke in K-9's capable care, Oliver started poking his head into each door, hoping to find the equipment still set up. When he found a room that was still firmly locked, he grinned. "A habit of a lifetime that I would have had if I had Sarah Jane Smith as a ward." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and focused it on the lock. There was a click and the door swung open to a fully equipped if somewhat dusty lab.

"I'm going to need some volunteers to clean up the laboratory," Oliver came out and addressed the healer. "Very carefully, mind you."

"I will have my apprentices see to it," the alien began to speak to his subordinates in their own language.

"It's the room at the end of the hallway, past the kitchen that way," Oliver pointed towards the lab, "and what have you found, K-9?"

"All available medicines are only usable for supportive treatment," K-9 advised. "Several are not safe for use on human species however we have administered those that would be beneficial. Master Luke is currently stable and his body temperature, while high, is within acceptable limits."

"Right, time to call in the big guns." Oliver said as he pulled out his mobile and the paper that Sarah had written Liz's number on. He dialled her number quickly and couldn't suppress his grin when he heard her voice.

"Liz Shaw." A slightly annoyed sounding Liz echoed through the mobile's speaker. "I do hope you realise that you're interrupting an important experiment."

"Well, I wouldn't have contacted you if it wasn't life or death." Oliver said sounding bemused. "I'm certainly not looking to have you make me a cup of tea or hand me a test tube."

"Oliver Smith then, I presume?" Liz sounded vaguely smug knowing she would have shocked the man on the other end of the phone. "News like you does travel quite quickly in the circles Sarah Jane belongs to."

Oliver shook it off and sighed. "Not entirely certain Sarah is ready to come out about us to everyone yet."

"I was sworn to secrecy, but I wouldn't count on it remaining a secret for very long – and Sarah Jane should know that." Liz assured him. "So what is this matter of grave importance?"

"Luke. Sarah Jane's son has contracted an alien virus from some refugees." Oliver breathed out a bit unsteadily.

"That's the boy that she found at that soda plant that the Bane were running? I thought he was engineered for perfect health." Liz scowled. "Of course, there's no telling what mischief an alien virus could get up to. Or alien bacteria for that matter. Do you know what it is?"

"Let me put you on speaker phone. I'm certain K-9 has more data for you, Liz." Oliver said as he pressed the speaker button and knelt beside K-9. "K-9, I'd like you to meet Liz Shaw."

"Greetings, Mistress Liz." K-9's ears swivelled. "Master Luke has contracted an alien virus." In rapid fashion he began to provide all the data he'd derived from his scans of his young master.

"Very interesting and helpful friend you have there, Oliver." Liz commented. "Though I really want to know what you and Sarah Jane are playing at. It was bound to happen sooner or later. She isn't the Doctor and, frankly, neither are you."

"I know, I know. I promise we'll be more careful in the future." Oliver said defensively. "If you'll just help us this time."

"No you won't and neither will Sarah Jane." Liz sighed. "Any more than Alistair would. Do you have access to a lab? I can't come down there you know. And can your friend create an uplink with my network here?"

"K-9?" Oliver grinned, certain that K-9 wouldn't have any problems with that.

"Creating uplink now, Master." K-9 confirmed.

"Well, that was quick," Liz commented. "Now I don't suppose you have a lab do you?"

"Actually, we're at Sarah's Aunt Lavinia's old house." Oliver grinned.

"Thinking ahead, at least you're doing something right." Liz said. "Alright, you're going to need to take blood samples and I hope her equipment won't be too antiquated. Or that we'll need fluids other than blood. Call me back when you've done some base analysis. I'm going to see if I can use your friend's uplink to focus a transmat link."

"Brilliant, Liz. Did I ever tell you how brilliant you are? Of course, I didn't. But you were. You are." Oliver grinned.

"Yes, yes. I'm brilliant. It would mean more if you weren't saying it when you needed my help." Liz sounded vaguely amused. "Get to work."

"Right. Right." Oliver nodded and clicked off the phone. "You heard the woman, K-9. Allons-y!"

Meanwhile Clyde began to worry about Sarah Jane as they drove in no particular direction except in the opposite direction from Moreton Harwood.

Sarah Jane leaned into the horn, "Get out of the way." She scowled at the car in front of her, then tapped the hands free button and dialled Mr. Smith. "Mr. Smith, what are those things doing now?" The tone as she said 'things' made both Clyde and Rani look at each other in apprehension.

"If you are referring to the ths'Tain, they are tracking your movements. I have amplified the life sign traces that the mobiles are transmitting so they will focus on your location rather than Moreton Harwood." Mr. Smith advised.

"Good," Sarah snapped. "Let me know the instant anything changes, Mr. Smith, and I mean anything." There was an undercurrent of distrust in her voice.

"Of course, Sarah Jane," Mr. Smith responded, but there was a tone in his voice that communicated his concern as well.

"Uhm, Sarah Jane," Rani leaned forward. "I think we have to stop for petrol."

"What?" Sarah glared at the girl for a moment causing her to shrink back then the traffic began to move and her eyes moved to the dash where she saw the petrol light had lit. "Damn it." She slammed her fist against the console then scanned for the nearest station. She crossed traffic aggressively then pulled into the pump. "You," she focused on Clyde almost snarling, "get out and fill the tank."

"Right," Clyde agreed quickly and slid out to do what Sarah Jane said.

Once Sarah left the car and went into the station to pay, Rani leaned the passenger side seat forward so she could lean out the window. "Clyde, this is more than just stress about Luke."

"I know. I know." Clyde agreed as his eyes went to the station but finished pumping and hung the nozzle. "She's not acting like herself. She's aggressive. Almost scary."

"Really scary." Rani swallowed hard. "Do you think it's what Luke has? Maybe we should call Oliver."

"Doesn't make sense. It's not the same symptoms." Clyde shook his head then saw Sarah Jane coming back. "Get back in," he hissed at Rani as he moved to open the passenger side door.

Sarah glared at both of them. "Talking about me are you? You can get out whenever you want. I don't need either of you."

"No, we're coming with you." Clyde met her gaze and didn't flinch. After a moment, Sarah Jane nodded then turned her attention to pulling out of the station.

There was a sudden flash of light and an armoured insectoid lizard creature appeared to the side of their car. This wasn't as surprising to the occupants of the vehicle of the car as it might have been, what did surprise them was instead of driving away as quickly as they could, Sarah Jane aimed the car at the alien and accelerated.

"NO!" Clyde yelled out as he reached across and yanked on the steering wheel, causing the car to veer away from its target.

Sarah Jane slammed on the breaks as the alien transmatted away. "Why did you do that? The thing got away."

"Can you hear yourself Sarah Jane?" Clyde asked as calmly as he could manage. "There's always a better way, yeah?"

For a moment the expression on Sarah Jane's face was unchanged, then her eyes widened and her expression became stricken. "Oh my… I don't know what's happening." She shook her head. "It's like I can't think."

"It's going to be okay, Sarah Jane." Clyde touched her shoulder reassuringly as he took the mobile that wasn't being used to transmit the alien life signs and dialled a familiar number. As soon as Oliver picked up he spoke. "Oliver, its Clyde. I think we've got a problem."


	5. Olly, Olly, Oxen Free

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Beeb.

I don't know how many of you were waiting for it, but here we go again. The return of Sarah Jane and Handy... Oliver he's reminding me. Carrying on with their life and how they manage it with everything that happens on Bannerman Road.

Thank you to Sue and Stella for the beta and contributions to this chapter. Without you, this wouldn't be half as good as it is.

And here it is, the finale of the adventure but not of the story. :) For our grown up readers, a grown up, follow up chapter will be posted shortly as a seperate story. Just so I don't have to change the rating on this and I can know that any junior readers we might have can keep reading uninterupted. As well for any of you who don't like adult stuff, please feel free to skip it, there won't be major story developments in it.

* * *

><p>"What kind of problem?" All of Oliver's attention focused on the call now, leaving the alien healer and his apprentices to continue setting up slides the way he'd shown them.<p>

Clyde reached out and took Sarah's hand comfortingly. "We think Sarah's sick."

"THINK…" Oliver half yelled and half growled. "It should be bloody obvious, shouldn't it?"

The stress made Oliver react that way, but it was obvious Sarah had heard and had jumped a little as well as the pressure on Clyde's hand increased. "Her symptoms aren't the same."

Oliver let out a breath in an effort to calm himself. "Could it be stress?"

"Don't think stress causes …" Clyde left off as he watched Sarah's shoulder's droop and her look out the window of the car.

"Causes what?" Oliver's voice started to rise again.

Sarah reached out and took the phone from Clyde. "I tried to run over one of the aliens, Oliver. One of the ths'Tain. I felt an overwhelming rage. No other way to describe it than a blood lust."

"You have to come here, Sarah." Oliver couldn't keep the fear out of his voice. "It can't be a coincidence."

"I can't. You know I can't." Sarah Jane swallowed hard as she spoke. "Even if the aliens allowed it, which we both know they won't – especially not with whatever is happening affecting my behaviour the way it is, someone has to do something to keep the ths'Tain from finding you."

"You don't know what's going to happen next, Sarah." Oliver argued. "You aren't safe to be driving and neither of the children can drive. If you won't come here then at least go home."

"I can't do that." Sarah could feel the anger rising in her, the tension rising through her body. "Please Oliver – my control isn't very good right now."

"All the more reason you should go home." Oliver said softly. "Please Sarah Jane."

"NO!" Sarah Jane snapped and found herself breathing hard. "Find the cure for whatever it is that Luke has and with any luck it will work for me as well." She snapped the phone shut ending the call.

"This isn't going to work," Rani spoke up from the back, only to have Sarah Jane whip around and turn a baleful glare on her. She shrank back a bit, but continued to speak. "I mean what we're doing right now. They know we're a fake now."

Sarah Jane closed her eyes then nodded slowly. "You're right, Rani." She took a deep breath then looked at them both. "I need the pair of you to listen to me. If I get too out of control you have to get away from me, get home and warn Oliver then have Mr. Smith contact the Brigadier and Jack Harkness. If I'm dangerous – I trust them to deal with the situation however they have to."

"Oliver won't like that." Clyde scowled. He didn't like it either, but he wasn't about to say it out loud.

"I know but Oliver won't be able to be objective." She forced a smile. "Not to worry, though, we're not there yet." She paused. "And I'm sorry for scaring you and for anything I might do that scares you."

"No worries, Sarah Jane." Rani reassured her older friend. "We know it's not you."

"Good," Sarah nodded at the children. "Now, what do we do next?"

The mobile rang once more and the call display revealed it was Mr. Smith calling. Clyde answered the call and put it on speaker. "The ths'Tain have filtered out the readings being transmitted by your two mobiles, Sarah Jane."

"We thought they might, Mr. Smith." Sarah confirmed. "We were just discussing what to try next."

"Mr. Smith, can you transmit the same signal but vary it a little, so it looks like different numbers of aliens not just the high intensity signal you were using with our mobiles to random mobiles all over the country? Even over the planet?" Rani asked obviously brainstorming a new plan.

"I can." Mr. Smith answered, "Within the same limitations."

"Alright, keep scanning though. As soon as you see the alien's transmatting to a location, move the signal to someone else's mobile and change it up a bit in intensity." Rani instructed. "And let us know if they start filtering out your signals, Mr. Smith."

"Rani, that's brilliant!" Sarah Jane exclaimed with a smile.

Seeing that Sarah seemed more like herself, Clyde decided to chance it. "Now, we should drive back to Bannerman Road," he saw Sarah's gaze become decidedly chilly but decided to keep on going, "and I'll stay with you while Mr. Smith does his thing. Rani can go home to bed because it's almost midnight, then in the morning you can make whatever calls need to be made to get me, Luke and Oliver out of whatever we're meant to be doing."

The look in Sarah Jane's eyes had Clyde wondering if he had gone too far, but then she took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right, Clyde. Let's get home where we can keep an eye on everything." As she focused on the road in front of her, she found herself thinking, 'And you can call Oliver and apologize as well.'

The phone call from Clyde hadn't made Oliver's night any better, "Damn, stubborn woman." He snapped the phone shut.

"What is wrong with Mistress Sarah Jane, Master?" K-9 rolled up, his ears twitching.

Oliver looked down at the robot and couldn't contain his laughter for a moment. "Thank you for that, K-9. You'll be glad to know I won't tell her you knew who I meant." He crouched and patted the dog's head. "Sarah Jane is sick. She's not acting like herself. She's acting like…" His words trailed off as a thought came to mind. "Oh… Oh yes!" He dashed towards the aliens. "Once those slides are prepared, you need to present them to K-9 for analysis." His mind moved at light speed. "You said your females weren't always the way they were…"

"In legends long past they were not, but that is merely myth, Oliver," the alien healer admonished.

"Yes, I know, but do you have scrolls – written versions of the legends?" Oliver insisted.

"Our keepers of the histories would have them, but they are written in our language." The alien healer didn't seem to be making any connection as to why it would be important.

"That's fine. I'm still very good with languages, thankfully." Oliver grinned. "You keep working with K-9." He dashed out of the laboratory and into the common area where most of the aliens were congregated, which looked to have once been a large sitting room. "Ts'mert," he called out to the familiar face he'd found, "where are your record keepers?"

"I can show you, Oliver." The soft spoken male led Oliver to a wizened looking alien with shaggy hair covering his body.

"Thank you, Ts'mert." Oliver touched the alien's shoulder. "I need your legends about the females who used to care for their young and when it all changed." The old alien considered him with eyes that were almost pure white then nodded regally, never speaking. It shuffled to where a bundle of scrolls were piled and selected several from the pile then carried them back to the former Time Lord. "Thank you, elder," he bowed slightly then took the scrolls to a table and set them down, pulling his glasses out and perching them on his nose before he carefully unrolled the first scroll and began to read.

Ts'mert had followed him back, curious as to what his human friend hoped to gain from the scrolls. "This will help you cure your cub?"

"I hope so." Oliver answered without taking his eyes from the parchment. "I'm trying to find the origins of the disease."

"Perhaps," Ts'mert fell silent, unsure of how to offer his assistance.

"Pull up a chair, friend and take a scroll." Oliver looked at him and smiled. "And thank you. It's not just Luke's life, but Sarah's as well on the line now."

The alien's eyes widened but he settled in to assist, selecting a scroll and beginning to read.

The sun began to crest over the horizon, when Oliver's phone rang again. "What are you playing at, Oliver? I was beginning to wonder, so I asked your little tin friend the last time he transmatted me some samples…"

"Sorry, Liz." Oliver winced at the sharpness of the woman's tone and pulled off his glasses. "Sarah is sick as well."

"Then why haven't you sent me any samples from her? The disease might be even more virulent in her. I know she thinks she's indestructible but she isn't." Liz began her tirade.

"I know." Oliver snapped as he pinched the bridge of his nose before reigning in his temper once more to deliver the explanation. "She can't come here because the aliens are afraid of females. The only upside to this is that the symptoms aren't the same. She's just aggressive."

"Just aggressive?" Liz sounded exasperated now. "Instead of relatively simple physical symptoms that can be controlled with medication and cool blankets, she's suffering from changes in her mental status. Oliver, that is in no way better." The mobile went silent for a moment. "Don't tell me, she wouldn't come in anyway?"

"Clyde, Luke's young friend managed to convince her to go home." Oliver admitted. "She called me late last night to apologize for her behaviour." He set down his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. "She doesn't sound good, Liz."

"I imagine not." Some of the anger had gone from the scientist's voice now. "That young man should be given a medal frankly. I've dealt with more than one stubborn, indestructible person in my time."

"Have you made any progress, Liz?" Oliver asked.

"Would I be harassing you if I had?" Liz countered. "No, there's something just not right about this disease."

"Like it had been engineered, yes?" Oliver decided to let her onto his theory.

"Yes." Liz agreed immediately. "That's what I'd been missing. You're right, it's exactly like it's been engineered but what sort of monster engineers a disease to affect only children? And its efficacy is far less than 100% if they were meaning to actually kill them."

"I don't think that's what it's meant to do." Oliver said cryptically. "Does it change the range of anti-virals you'll test on it?"

"It does actually," Liz agreed, "but I'm going to need to get the Brigadier to pull in some favours in order to test the ones I want to."

"Do it, Liz. I think this is much worse than we thought." Oliver couldn't keep the worry and stress out of his voice. "You might want to contact Sarah's computer; Mr. Smith – he'll be able to provide you with scans from Sarah Jane."

"A very good idea," Liz agreed, "We'll beat this, Oliver."

"I know." Oliver agreed, but looked to the place where Luke was swaddled in the cooling unit and couldn't help but wonder if they'd beat it in time.

Morning came to Bannerman Road at the same time as it came to Moreton Harwood and much like Oliver, Sarah Jane hadn't slept. Aside from the worry over Luke and wanting to be certain that she was awake if Mr. Smith had to warn them of something, there was a very real fear that if she went to sleep she wouldn't wake up herself. That the rage building inside her would take over, if she didn't keep it at bay with her will.

"Got your cuppa, Sarah Jane." Clyde announced as he came through the attic door.

"Thank you, Clyde." Sarah said, unable to keep the affection out of her voice and not really wanting to given she wasn't certain how long it would last. "You should have slept."

"More important to be up," Clyde said with a shrug as he handed her the cup then a sly grin crossed his lips. "It's you…"

Sarah felt her ire rise as she saw what was coming, "Best to stay away from the old folks jokes."

"Right," Clyde nodded, his expression turning grim. "So how are you doing?"

"I could be worse," she took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes, letting the soothing warmth flow through her, "but it's getting harder to control."

"Oliver will find a cure." Clyde said with absolute confidence.

"I know he will, Clyde." Sarah Jane was certain of that as well, she only hoped it would be in time for her as well as Luke.

"Sarah Jane," Mr. Smith's voice echoed through the attic. "The ths'Tain have filtered the life sign traces I have been creating."

Clyde could see it happening. As the fear rose in Sarah Jane, her expression changed becoming a mask of anger and hatred. She discarded her cup on the desk and focused on the super computer. "How long before they find them at Moreton Harwood?"

"I may be able to slow their progress by intermittently blocking their scans, but I estimate that they will have found them in two hours at maximum, Sarah Jane." Mr. Smith advised then did another medi-scan of Sarah Jane.

"What was that for?" Sarah spat.

"Liz Shaw has requested another full medical scan," the super-computer advised.

"I don't have time for that now." Sarah scowled then headed for the door of the attic.

Clyde was right behind her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sarah Jane whirled on the boy, but he stood his ground.

"With you," his eyes never left hers. "Luke and Oliver would never forgive me if I let you go on your own."

"I don't need a keeper," she hissed at him.

"No," Clyde agreed, "but you do need back up."

Her eyes narrowed then she nodded. "Try to keep up, boy."

Oliver still poured over the scrolls when his mobile rang. "Oh Liz, I hope you have good news for me."

"I was hoping for the same. Sarah Jane's Mr. Smith just sent me another full medical scan…" Liz started.

Oliver's fist clenched. "It's not good is it?"

"Her body is being flooded with so much adrenaline and a cocktail of other hormones. It's not the virus that's liable to kill her, Oliver. She's just liable to have a heart attack." Liz said frankly, seeing no reason to keep it from him.

"Oliver," Ts'mert's soft voice caught the former Time Lord's attention. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Oliver moved to look over the alien cat's shoulder. "Brilliant. You're bloody brilliant. It was a bio-warfare weapon, Liz. The anecdotal evidence in this history – it spells it all out."

"Get your little metal friend to scan it and send it straight to my terminal, Oliver. That might be exactly what we need." Liz's voice was filled with determination.

"K-9," Oliver crouched down beside the little robot, holding the scroll. "You heard the lady."

"Affirmative, master," K-9 responded enthusiastically and began to scan the paper, translating and sending the information onwards.

The Figaro rounded the corner at the Moreton Harwood sign, kicking up a plume of dust as Sarah took the turn too sharply. "How long until the ths'Tain lock on?"

"They have already begun to triangulate on Moreton Harwood." Mr. Smith responded.

Sarah growled out loud and sped up in the direction of the manor house, no longer dealing with anything but instinct. Clyde, on the other hand, thought ahead. "What do you know about the ths'Tain, Mr. Smith?"

"They are a magnesium based lifeform. Similar in form to both an Earth lizard and an insect. They are egg layers." Mr. Smith began his lecture. "Their society is a military oligarchy. They are warriors and will only acknowledge a proven warrior's claim to Earth's sovereignty."

"And how do we get a proven warrior? If Oliver pretended to be the Doctor…" Clyde planned.

"He would have to challenge their leader to become a proven warrior." Mr. Smith supplied. "They would not automatically acknowledge the Doctor's status."

"How do I challenge, Mr. Smith?" Sarah's voice was gravelly.

Clyde shook his head. "You don't. You're sick, Sarah Jane. You don't believe in fighting…"

"My original Doctor taught me Venusian Aikido and the Brigadier made certain I had hand to hand training." Sarah snarled. "I wasn't always a pacifist, now how do I do it, Mr. Smith?"

"Tradition would demand that you throw your weapon at the feet of the ths'Tain leader." Mr. Smith answered her demand smoothly. "It will signal that you wish to prove that your hands are as deadly as your weapon is."

"Will my sonic do?" Sarah Jane asked as she could see the manor house and a group of the alien soldiers heading towards it.

"It should." Mr. Smith answered. In the same instant, Sarah Jane came to a skidding halt in front of the aliens, moving faster than Clyde would have expected as she opened the driver's side door and moved out in front of the armoured warriors with no hesitation or fear.

"How dare you bring your filth to my planet?" Sarah spat, then threw her sonic at the feet of the most elaborately armoured creature.

"You challenge, little pink thing." The insectoid's expression, if it could be said to have an expression, was almost bemused.

Sarah stalked up to the creature, glaring up at it. "I am Sarah Jane Smith. I was a companion to the last Time Lord of Gallifrey and now I protect my planet. Are you such a coward that you would deny me my right?"

The creature's eyes dilated - its equivalent reaction to flaring of the nostrils in another species. "Miox of the ths'Tain has never been a coward. You will be no challenge, female." It stepped back and stripped off its cloak and then began to unbuckle much of its armour. "I will even ensure that you have a minute chance of succeeding."

"Your generosity underwhelms me," Sarah scowled but moved off slightly, stalking around the creature, her head tilting as she took in its form then coming around to face it head on.

Clyde swallowed hard. He imagined that Sarah's chief advantage might be her speed, but it was hard to tell with these things. They could be just as fast as the tiny woman. He knew he couldn't interfere, but he wished that Oliver would come out and call a halt to all of this. Especially since Sarah didn't seem to be moving to start the fight.

There was stillness in the air which was broken as the large alien rushed towards Sarah Jane. She dropped at the last second, ducking beneath the thing's arm and slamming her elbow into its side, then hitting the ground and rolling before she jumped to her feet and launched herself at the aliens back.

Speed was Sarah Jane's battle plan, but a different sort of speed than what Clyde had expected. Even in her blood haze, Sarah knew she couldn't withstand a prolonged battle. She had to finish it quickly or she couldn't hope to succeed. Her skills of observation were actually her best weapon; as the Doctor would have argued they always were; and had revealed what she hoped would be the alien's Achilles heel.

As she wrapped one arm around the alien's neck to keep herself there, her other hand slid into a slight slit in the carapace, hoping to find even vestigial remains of what she suspected had been there before. It was only her slender hands that allowed her to probe within and find her prize. With a sneer, her hand wrapped around the limb she found there and pulled hard.

The alien screamed in pain and spun as Sarah Jane dropped from his back, a gossamer thin wing clenched in her hand. She crouched on the ground as the alien charged her, its hand going to a knife hidden in its belt. Dropping the wing, Sarah came up suddenly and slammed her hand against the alien's wrist as she stepped out of the way, just the way the Doctor had once taught her. The knife dropped and she followed it, grasping it as her leg shot out to take the alien's from beneath him.

Clyde watched in fascination and horror as the woman he'd known to always look for another way, had somehow transformed into a warrior the like of which he'd never suspected. From her crouched position she sprang up once more, adrenaline keeping her moving faster than she would normally. She was on the creature's chest, pinning it as she slid its own knife beneath its chin.

He was about to call out when Sarah's voice, sounding terribly wrong, echoed through the silence that had returned. "I could kill you now. Not even your own people would stop me. You're threatening my planet. My son…" She hissed.

Sarah raised the knife, glinting in the morning sunlight, as yet unstained with either combatant's blood. Then suddenly it descended and dug into the dirt beside the alien's head. "That isn't who I am…" She pulled herself up and stepped back. "I won't let this virus, I won't let you, change who I know I am." She looked in disgust at the wing she'd pulled from the alien leaders back. "I won't let that change who I am." Her posture became even straighter. "I want you to get off my planet."

"You harbour killers." The alien snapped at her. "You are a mighty warrior, Sarah Jane Smith, but you harbour cowards."

"You are the cowards." Oliver's voice stopped Sarah's response. She turned to see her family, both Oliver and Luke emerging from Moreton Harwood, but neither of them had smiles on their faces.

"Lies! They poison us. Our eggs will not hatch. The shells are soft. They never mature." The alien demanded.

"You did it to yourselves." Oliver spat. "Your military. Expansion. It's all your kind ever think about."

"Those were the dark days, not now." The alien leader insisted.

"Yeah, well those chickens have come home to roost," Oliver scowled. "Your people unleashed a virus on the Ptherians, to clean their home world for colonization. Except your lot are too ritualistic and not efficient enough. You thought turning the females against the young would finish the job. Make a virus that turns the females into vicious killers and the race wouldn't survive. No young. No next generation, except it doesn't work that way in their species. They raised their young together, so they only lost a few – then the males learned to restrain the females, take the young and raise them on their own."

He stalked up to the alien, meeting him eye to eye. "You didn't destroy their race, just their families. Like your conflict nearly destroyed mine and Sarah's." He watched as Luke carried the injector that Liz had sent down with the effective anti-viral agent and pressed it to his mother's neck with a slight smile. He turned his attention back to the alien. "When it didn't kill them your people took it as a divine sign. That they weren't meant to be there, but when you went back, you didn't know that the virus had mutated. It turned into something that affected the children first and then it became something that could affect you. It was never meant to affect your race, but now it did." He got close enough that the alien could feel his breath. "Our people have a very old saying. Hoist by your own petard."

He moved back to stand with his family. "Normally I'd let you hang. I haven't been very merciful for a very long time, but my mate values mercy. Which is why you're still alive." He breathed out slowly as he wound his arm around Sarah's waist. "Our scientist is going to work with the Ptherians to make the anti-viral effective for their people. If you swear, on your honour, on your ancestor's honour that you will help them – take them home, help them find their females, then I will ask her to help your people as well."

"Why would you do this?" The ths'Tain leader looked confused.

"Because it's what she would want." He pressed a relieved kiss into Sarah's hair as he held her close. "Now do we have a deal?" He held out a hand to the alien.

Slowly the alien leader took Oliver's hand. "Yes. We have a… deal."

Luke, who had after being administered the cure been the only one fit to drive the friends from Bannerman Road home, had done just that, with Clyde beside him snoring in the passenger side front seat, while Sarah Jane and Oliver had fallen into an exhausted slumber in the back seat. When they did arrive home, Oliver had awoken enough to carry Sarah Jane to their room then had once again fallen asleep with her in his arms, stretched out on their bed.

The two adults woke slowly to the smell of pizza and the sounds of teenagers laughing. "They bounce back quick at that age."

"Oh, I don't think I was ever that age," Sarah said with a slight smile but one that never reached her eyes.

"Beg to differ," Oliver teased. "I remember you at that age. Well, maybe just a touch older." He paused then in a more serious tone he spoke again. "Sarah, look at me."

His insistence that she look at him, just made her turn away more. "I don't know how you can stand to look at me."

"I know how. You didn't kill him, Sarah. That virus was reacting to the oestrogen in your body, it was changing the way you think. It should have made you a killer without a conscious." Oliver pointed out.

"So I should be glad that I'm in menopause? Or it would have been worse?" Sarah rolled her eyes at him.

"Actually from what Liz said, it doesn't sound like being a bit careful would be too amiss, if you catch my drift." Oliver countered. "And no, you controlled yourself, Sarah Jane Smith. You and only you. That wonderful mind of yours, your spirit. That's what stopped you from being what that virus was intended to make you." He touched her chin gently. "And since you convinced me that the Time War wasn't my fault, I'm going to have to reconsider if you really meant that if you don't listen to me about this."

"You're impossible you know," Sarah looked up at him and ran her finger against his lips.

"Birds of a feather, Sarah Jane." Oliver grinned. "Birds of a feather."


End file.
